NASM-CPT vs ACE CPT

NASM vs ACE: two accredited exams that reward different things

Both certifications end in an NCCA-accredited, proctored exam that you can take at a test center or at home with a live proctor. They differ in how long the sitting is, what each blueprint weights, what you see when you finish and where the money goes.

Pick NASM if…

you want the shorter sitting: 120 items in 2 hours;
you're strongest on exercise technique: the largest domain is Exercise Technique & Training Instruction, 24%;
you want cheaper retakes: $199 against ACE's $249 within 1 year of the first attempt.

Pick ACE if…

you're buying the exam on its own: $499 against NASM's $599;
you think about the client before the lift: ACE gives client onboarding and progression a domain each;
you read movement well: about 10% of items are short silent exercise clips.

NASM vs ACE, fact by fact

Checked 19 Oct 2026 against each certifier's own handbook and website. Package prices as of Oct 2026; ACE adds a separate exam registration ($99) to any study program. Bars share one scale per row. *Package prices change with promotions, so check the certifier's site before you buy.
Fact	NASM-CPT	ACE CPT
AccreditationN1 · AH	NCCA (reaccredited every 5 years)	NCCA (ACE's core certifications, since 2003)
Items on the examN1 · AH · AS	120 (100 scored + 20 unscored)	150 (125 scored + 25 unscored)
Time limitN1 · AH · AS	2 hours	3 hours
Pass markN1 · AH · AS	scaled 70 on 0–100	scaled 500 on a 200–800 scale
Score reportN1 · AH	Fail: score + domain breakdown. Pass: no number	Immediately: scaled score + pass/fail; domain % given as a guide if you fail
Where you sit itN1 · AH · AS	PSI test site or PSI Live Remote Proctor	Proctored test center or live remote proctoring (Meazure Learning)
Video questionsN1 · AH	none mentioned in the handbook	about 10% of items: a short silent exercise clip, then a question
EligibilityN1 · AH · AS	HS diploma/GED + adult CPR/AED; no exam age minimum	18+ at registration, high school or equivalent, current adult CPR/AED with a hands-on skills check
Exam-only feeN5 · AS · AO	$599 (exam only, no study materials)	$499
RetakeN1 · N6 · AS · AO · AH	$199; wait 1 week, then 30 days, then 1 year	$249 within 1 year of the first attempt (earliest retake: 4 days after a fail per ACE; one ACE page says 10 days)
Window to testN1 · AH · AS	180 days from purchase (paid Program Extension available)	6 months from purchase for a package voucher, no extensions (remote exam within 60 days of registering)
Largest domainN2 · AE	Exercise Technique & Training Instruction, 24%	Program Design & Implementation, 31%
RenewalN1 · N7 · AR · AH	every 2 yrs · 2.0 CEU (0.1 = CPR/AED) · $99	every 2 yrs · 2.0 CEC (20 h) · $129 on time
Study packages*N8 · AP	from $999 for the Self-Study tier	Basic $494.50 · Plus $584.50 · Advantage $874.50 during a 50%-off sale (list $989 / $1,169 / $1,749; promo prices change)as of 19 Oct 2026 · promo pricing, check before you buy

Exam day: length and item types

ACE is the longer sitting: 150 items in 3 hours, against NASM's 120 in 2 hours. Both mix unscored items in with the scored ones, so treat every item as if it counts.

ACE also uses video: short silent clips of a client moving open about 10% of its items, and you decide what to do next. NASM's handbook mentions no video items. If you freeze on clips, practice with video before you book.

Both offer a test center or live remote proctoring: NASM through PSI, ACE through Meazure Learning.

Myth: “the ACE exam is open-book”

That's a different ACE product, the ACE Certificate: 100 questions, online, open-book, pass at 70% or higher. The ACE Certified Personal Trainer exam is closed-book with a live proctor, pass mark scaled 500, and it is the NCCA-accredited one. Check which product a review is describing before you trust its pass rate or price.

What each blueprint rewards

NASM-CPT, 6 domains

Sciences 15%Coaching 15%Assessment 16%Program design 20%Technique 24%Professional 10%

ACE CPT, 4 domains

Onboarding & assessment 23%Program design 31%Modification & progression 27%Risk & conduct 19%

NASM's largest domain is Exercise Technique & Training Instruction, 24%, and the textbook behind it is organized around the OPT model, so expect exercise selection, kinetic-chain checkpoints and corrective strategies. ACE's largest is Program Design and Implementation (31%), built on its IFT model. The rest of its blueprint is about the client: onboarding and assessment, then modification and progression. Expect questions on rapport, behavior change and when to progress, not only on the lift.

When you finish: score screens and retakes

Both exams give domain detail only after a fail. The difference is the pass screen. ACE shows your scaled score and the result right away, pass or fail. NASM shows no number on a pass, and a fail comes with your score and a domain breakdown to plan the retake around.

ACE retake: $249 within 1 year of the first attempt.
NASM retest: $199, with waits of 1 week after the 1st fail, 30 days after the 2nd, 1 year after each later fail.

Exam fee, study package, renewal

Exam-only, ACE is cheaper: $499 against NASM's $599. With study material, as of Oct 2026, NASM's packages start from $999 for the Self-Study tier. ACE's packages run from $494.50 on sale, and ACE adds a separate exam registration ($99) to any study program. Both run promotions, so compare on the day you buy.

Renewal: NASM every 2 years, 2.0 CEU and $99; ACE's terms are in the table. Every certification side by side: what a CPT really costs.

Try 6 questions, from both exams

0 / 0 correct

Question 1 of 6 · NASM-CPT · Basic & Applied Sciences and Nutritional Concepts · 15%Not answered

Based on the nutrition label of a protein supplement showing 25 g of carbohydrates, 20 g of protein, and 9 g of fat per serving, calculate the total estimated energy yield.

Why each option is right or wrong

Pick an answer. Then tap any option to read its explanation, the wrong ones included.

A — Not this one. 386 kcal comes from giving carbohydrate 9 kcal per gram (25 × 9 = 225) instead of 4.

B — Not this one. 486 kcal multiplies all 54 grams by 9 kcal, as if every macronutrient were fat.

C — Correct. Carbohydrate 25 g × 4 = 100, protein 20 g × 4 = 80, fat 9 g × 9 = 81, so the total is 261 kcal. The 4-4-9 kcal-per-gram values are the whole calculation.

D — Not this one. 180 kcal counts only carbohydrate and protein and leaves out the 81 kcal from fat.

E — Not this one. 216 kcal gives fat 4 kcal per gram (9 × 4 = 36) instead of 9.

Question 2 of 6 · NASM-CPT · Client Relations & Behavioral Coaching · 15%Not answered

A client mentions, 'I hate doing cardio, but I know I breathe easier on the days I walk.' Which reflection MOST effectively amplifies the client's change-talk?

Why each option is right or wrong

Pick an answer. Then tap any option to read its explanation, the wrong ones included.

A — Not this one. A general statement about cardio being hard shifts the focus away from the client's own words and reinforces the reluctance.

B — Not this one. Reflecting only the dislike amplifies sustain talk. That is the opposite of what the question asks for.

C — Correct. A selective reflection repeats the part of the statement that favors change, here that walking helps the client breathe.

D — Not this one. This reflection leads with the struggle and adds a long-term benefit the client never mentioned, so the client's own change talk gets diluted.

E — Not this one. 'It is essential that you…' is a directive. Unsolicited advice tends to trigger resistance and does not count as a reflection.

Question 3 of 6 · NASM-CPT · Professional Development & Responsibility · 10%Not answered

A client becomes dizzy, pales, and faints momentarily during a heavy deadlift set. EMS is called. When completing the incident report, which documentation entry is most appropriate and adheres to professional scope of practice?

Why each option is right or wrong

Pick an answer. Then tap any option to read its explanation, the wrong ones included.

A — Correct. An incident report records what you observed and what you did: the client fainted after a heavy set, and EMS was contacted.

B — Not this one. 'Clinical hypotension' is a diagnosis. A trainer isn't qualified to put one in an incident report.

C — Not this one. 'Cardiovascular failure' is a dramatic and unsupported medical conclusion that also creates liability.

D — Not this one. 'Vasovagal syncope' may sound plausible, but it's still a diagnosis. Record what you saw instead.

E — Not this one. Hypoglycemia is a medical judgment the trainer can't confirm. The report should stick to what was observed and the actions taken.

Question 4 of 6 · ACE CPT · Program Modification and Progression · 27%Not answered

A client has missed three consecutive sessions. Which trainer response fosters accountability without being punitive?

Why each option is right or wrong

Pick an answer. Then tap any option to read its explanation, the wrong ones included.

A — Correct. Asking to look at the schedule together keeps the conversation on solving the problem. It holds the client accountable for attendance without shaming them.

B — Not this one. Questioning the client's commitment puts them on the defensive. It is a judgment, not a way forward.

C — Not this one. Using exercise as punishment ties training to negative feelings and damages the working relationship.

D — Not this one. Expressing disappointment adds guilt, which tends to push clients further away rather than back into the routine.

E — Not this one. Demanding an apology is humiliating and has nothing to do with fixing the missed sessions.

Question 5 of 6 · ACE CPT · Client Onboarding and Assessments · 23%Not answered

You are conducting body composition assessments for a client with a BMI of 38 kg/m². The client expresses self-consciousness about their weight. Which assessment method is most appropriate to obtain baseline data while maintaining professional boundaries and client comfort?

Why each option is right or wrong

Pick an answer. Then tap any option to read its explanation, the wrong ones included.

A — Not this one. Bioelectrical impedance right after exercise is skewed by sweat and changes in body water, so the baseline would be wrong.

B — Correct. Waist circumference is quick, done over light clothing, and gives useful baseline data on health risk. It respects the client's comfort, while skinfolds are both less accurate and more invasive at this body size.

C — Not this one. Underwater weighing is impractical in most gyms and requires the client to wear swimwear and be submerged, the opposite of comfortable.

D — Not this one. Seven skinfold sites mean even more touching and the same accuracy problems as three.

E — Not this one. Skinfolds are hard to measure accurately in clients with a lot of body fat, and pinching skin at several sites adds to the client's discomfort.

Question 6 of 6 · ACE CPT · Risk Management, Professional Conduct, and Ethical Business Practices · 19%Not answered

According to current AHA guidelines for high-quality CPR in adults, what are the correct metrics for compression rate and depth?

Why each option is right or wrong

Pick an answer. Then tap any option to read its explanation, the wrong ones included.

A — Not this one. The depth is right, but 60 to 80 per minute is far too slow to circulate blood effectively.

B — Not this one. Both numbers are too low. Compressions this slow and shallow do not generate enough blood flow.

C — Not this one. Pushing faster than 120 per minute reduces recoil and refill time, and the depth here is also too shallow.

D — Correct. Current AHA guidance for adults is 100 to 120 compressions per minute at a depth of at least 2 inches but no more than 2.4 inches (5 to 6 cm).

E — Not this one. The rate is right, but at least 2.5 inches exceeds the recommended upper limit of 2.4 inches and raises the risk of injury.

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NASM vs ACE, quick answers

Is NASM or ACE better?

Both exams are NCCA-accredited and proctored, so either satisfies a job that asks for an accredited CPT. Pick NASM for a shorter exam and a technique-heavy blueprint. Pick ACE for a lower exam-only fee and a blueprint built around the client.

Is NASM or ACE harder?

ACE is the longer sitting: 150 items in 3 hours against NASM's 120 in 2 hours, and about 10% of ACE items are video clips. ACE publishes a pass rate of 73% (2025); NASM's candidate handbook gives none.

Is NASM or ACE cheaper?

Exam-only, ACE: $499 against $599. Retakes run the other way: NASM $199, ACE $249 within 1 year of the first attempt.

How much is the ACE personal trainer certification?

The exam alone is $499. With study material, packages run from $494.50 on sale as of Oct 2026, plus a separate exam registration ($99).

What is the difference between ACE and NASM?

Exam length, item types and emphasis. NASM's largest domain is Exercise Technique & Training Instruction, 24%; ACE's is Program Design and Implementation (31%), and ACE adds video items.

Can I take the NASM or ACE exam at home?

Yes. Both offer live remote proctoring as well as test centers: NASM through PSI, ACE through Meazure Learning.